Gowda Defends Meet With Thackeray

A visibly angry Gowda justified his meeting with Thackeray thus: Do you know the Hindu culture ? Thackeray's wife (Meenatai) has expired, his son (Bindumadhav) died and he himself underwent a bypass surgery and in such circumstances, you meet the person (to console him).

Gowda even took offence at questions being asked about the meeting. Talking to reporters at the Dal headquarters, an irrittated Gowda felt, this question should not be asked at all.

What is wrong in it ? the Prime Minister asked rhetorically. From Thackeray's end, the official line was: It was a courtesy call. Politics was not discussed at all.

Senior JD leader Mrinal Gore publicly questioned Gowda at a meeting of party workers addressed by the Prime Minister. She aired her objection to Gowda's as well as Union information and broadcasting minister C M Ibrahim's meeting with the Sena chief. Ibrahim has called on Thackeray at his residence on both his two visits to Mumbai.

I have not much time now, but you come to Delhi, we will talk there in detail (about the meeting), Gowda told Gore before rushing for another function at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

Your and Ibrahim's meeting with Thackeray has put us in an uncomfortable position, Gore told Gowda.

She indicated that such meetings have a dampening effect on the party rank and file when opposing the Sena and particularly the Thackeray family who have recently been associated with alleged land-related crime and extortion rackets.

More than the meeting itself, it is the venue that has upset the state leaders. It would have been proper if the Prime Minister had met Thackeray at Raj Bhavan. Any one can ask for meeting with the Prime Minister and call on him, Dal leaders felt.

But we are very disappointed over the meeting at somebody's else's house soon after your arrival, the first to the city after taking over as PM , they said.

Here we are fighting against the man and his party, and there our own Prime Minister goes and meets him. We are extremely disappointed with the whole affair and we told it to the Prime Minister in so many words,'' Gore said.